The Founder

Tristynn McGowan

Founder & CEO, 5th Element Media

I started 5th Element Media with nothing but a laptop, a vision, and the belief that I could build something better for business owners. I was 18, working out of my college dorm, saying yes to every opportunity I could find. What began as a one person operation has grown into a full-scale franchise marketing company serving brands and franchisees across the country.

Over the years, we've built a reputation for being hands-on, fast-moving, and deeply committed to helping owners fill their locations, improve their systems, and scale with confidence.

Today, I lead a team that specializes in the unique challenges of franchising from high-volume lead generation to automated follow-up, content production, and brand-wide growth systems.

What hasn't changed since day one is the work ethic, the hunger, and the personal approach that clients say is the reason they trust 5th Element Media.

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Our Mission

Give Every Franchise Location
the Marketing It Deserves.

Most franchise marketing is built for the franchisor, not the franchisee. We flip that. Every location gets hyper-local strategy, custom creative, and data they can actually act on. Because a franchisee in Jacksonville shouldn't get the same ad as one in Portland.

Our Values

What We Stand For

These aren't buzzwords on a wall. They're the operating principles behind every campaign, every call, and every decision.

Data Over Opinions

We don't guess. Every recommendation, every creative test, every budget allocation is backed by real performance data from 100s of franchise locations.

Franchise-First Thinking

We don't apply B2B playbooks to franchises. Every system we build accounts for multi-location complexity, local nuance, and franchisee-franchisor dynamics.

Radical Transparency

You see everything we see. Real-time dashboards, honest performance reviews, and straight talk when something isn't working. No smoke, no mirrors.

Speed of Execution

Franchisees don't have months to wait for "ramp-up." We launch campaigns within 2 weeks and iterate fast because your locations need leads now, not next quarter.

Own the Creative

We don't recycle stock photos. Our UGC-powered creative engine produces authentic local content that outperforms corporate creative by 30-50% on CPL.

Long-Term Partnership

90%+ retention isn't an accident. We build relationships, not campaigns. Your dedicated CSM knows your brand, your markets, and your goals inside and out.

Leadership

Our Leadership Team

Every leader on our team works directly with your brand. No handoffs. No junior reps. Senior-level execution from day one.

Tristynn McGowan

Founder & CEO

Drew Waelde

Head of Operations

Justin Flores

Head of Client Success

Ralf Ocampo

Head of Creative Strategy

We're the Agency That
Franchise Brands Deserve.

Tristynn McGowan

Give Every Franchise Location
the Marketing It Deserves.